Quand les étudiants jugent leurs études : quelques enseignements d'une recherche internationale

Du double point de vue institutionnel et moral, l'évaluation des enseignements est considérée aujourd'hui comme une obligation. Cependant, les conditions dans lesquelles une telle évaluation peut s'effectuer font l'objet d'un vif débat : « qui ? quoi ? comment ? selon quels référents ? quels indicateurs ? quelle participation des évalués ? quelle publicité des résultats ? » (Demailly, 2001). C'est pourquoi nous tenterons tout d'abord d'esquisser quelques lignes directrices pour une évaluation des enseignements, en nous attachant en particulier à préciser ses objets possibles. Trois grands espaces d'investigation pourront ainsi être spécifiés : ceux des activités d'enseignement (teaching), d'apprentissage (learning), et des effets du processus enseignement/apprentissage. Nous pourrons alors tenter de montrer qu'une évaluation des enseignements par les étudiants est à la fois réalisable et utile, en présentant à cet effet quelques résultats d'une enquête conduite dans trois régions d'Europe (Baden- Württemberg, Catalogne, Rhône-Alpes) par trois équipes universitaires, dans le cadre de la FREREF (Fondation des Régions Européennes pour la Recherche en Education et en Formation). Nous pourrons constater non seulement que cette enquête pilote apporte des informations particulièrement utiles, du point de vue d'une réflexion sur la pédagogie universitaire, dans les trois champs d'investigation identifiés ; mais encore qu'elle propose des suggestions pertinentes pour une amélioration possible. L'intérêt essentiel d'une évaluation des enseignements par les étudiants est alors de mettre en évidence, d'une part des « zones problématiques » (ZP), espaces où se nouent des problèmes précis et concrets pour les étudiants (ex : la participation active aux cours) ; et d'autre part des « zones d'action prioritaire » (ZAP), correspondant à des chantiers urgents pour une amélioration des études (ex : meilleur rapport à la pratique).To evaluate teaching is currently considered as compelling, both from an institutional and a moral viewpoint. However the conditions of such an evaluation have triggered strong debates: «Who? What? How? Drawing from which references? Which clues? Should the people assessed take part in the process? To what extent should the results be publicized?» (Demailly, 2001). For that reason we will first draw some guiding lines for teaching evaluation, trying to define its possible objects. Three main domains may be contemplated: teachers, activity, learning process, and the effects of the teaching/learning process. Drawing from an enquiry carried out in three European areas, by three research teams… We Hill be able to show that an evaluation of their courses by students is both possible and profitable. As a matter of fact, this inquiry has brought up valuable information about higher education pedagogy as concerns the three fields mentioned earlier and it also offers some suggestions likely to generate improvements. This survey has pointed out «problematic domains» (PD) where students meet with concrete and precise difficulties like feeling unable to participate actively in the lesson; and other domains for which projects are urgently needed with a view to improving learning conditions

Readiness of HIF Using the Single Pass RF Driver

Readiness for a concerted push to power production was the underlying theme from the inaugural HIF Workshop in 1976 through the review of ICF programs by DOE’s Energy Research and Advisory Board in 1979. Using John Lawson’s 1987 paper “Whither Heavy Ion Fusion?” [1] as a foil, this paper discusses the continuing vitality of the argument for HIF’s readiness against the backdrop that this vision is not in evidence today, having been occluded by political policies causing diversion of the HIF community into peripheral science that, although excellent, is in fact not required to complete the development of a HIF energy source..

Insecticide Resistance Profiling of Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae Populations in the Southern Senegal: Role of Target Sites and Metabolic Resistance Mechanisms

The emergence and spread of insecticide resistance among the main malaria vectors is threatening the effectiveness of vector control interventions in Senegal. The main drivers of this resistance in the Anopheles gambiae complex (e.g., An. gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii) remains poorly characterized in Senegal. Here we characterized the main target site and metabolic resistances mechanisms among the An. gambiae and An. coluzzii populations from their sympatric and allopatric or predominance area in Senegal. Larvae and pupae of An. gambiae s.l. were collected, reared to adulthood, and then used for insecticides susceptibility and synergist assays using the WHO (World Health Organisation) test kits for adult mosquitoes. The TaqMan method was used for the molecular characterization of the main target site insecticide resistance mechanisms (Vgsc-1014F, Vgsc-1014S, N1575Y and G119S). A RT-qPCR (Reverse Transcriptase-quantitative Polymerase Chaine Reaction) was performed to estimate the level of genes expression belonging to the CYP450 (Cytochrome P450) family. Plasmodium infection rate was investigated using TaqMan method. High levels of resistance to pyrethroids and DDT and full susceptibility to organophosphates and carbamates where observed in all three sites, excepted a probable resistance to bendiocarb in Kedougou. The L1014F, L1014S, and N1575Y mutations were found in both species. Pre-exposure to the PBO (Piperonyl butoxide) synergist induced a partial recovery of susceptibility to permethrin and full recovery to deltamethrin. Subsequent analysis of the level of genes expression, revealed that the CYP6Z1 and CYP6Z2 genes were over-expressed in wild-resistant mosquitoes compared to the reference susceptible strain (Kisumu), suggesting that both the metabolic resistance and target site mutation involving kdr mutations are likely implicated in this pyrethroid resistance. The presence of both target-site and metabolic resistance mechanisms in highly pyrethroid-resistant populations of An. gambiae s.l. from Senegal threatens the effectiveness and the sustainability of the pyrethroid-based tools and interventions currently deployed in the country. The Kdr-west mutation is widely widespread in An. coluzzii sympatric population. PBO or Duo nets and IRS (Indoor Residual Spraying) with organophosphates could be used as an alternative measure to sustain malaria control in the study area

Institutional assessment as an instrument of rationalization back to the school as a formal organisation

O papel central da avaliação, da avaliação institucional e dos processos de garantia da qualidade de escolas e universidades nas políticas educacionais é objeto de discussão, também considerando a reforma do Estado. As teorias da nova gestão pública e as perspectivas gestionárias são consideradas como algumas das principais fontes de inspiração e de legitimação no contexto dominante de uma educação contábil. Dados empíricos preliminares resultantes do processo de avaliação externa de escolas básicas e secundárias portuguesas são apresentados e interpretados de acordo com os principais conceitos e representações organizacionais de escola presentes nos relatórios externos. Examinando algumas das imagens e dos significados de escola, cultura de escola, autonomia, objetivos, liderança e eficácia presentes nos relatórios de avaliação, o autor releva a importância das imagens formais, racionais e burocráticas de escolas. Várias questões de investigação são apresentadas tendo por base aquilo a que o autor chama o processo da hiperburocratização das organizações educativas. Algumas dimensões do conceito de burocracia de Max Weber são revisitadas, em articulação com perspectivas neocientíficas de garantia da qualidade e com as tecnologias da informação e comunicação. O autor sugere que maior relevância deve ser atribuída aos modelos formais e racionais de interpretação das organizações educativas, pois os processos de avaliação e de garantia da qualidade estão a contribuir para a formalização de escolas e universidades e para a intensificação do seu processo de racionalização, isto é, para a emergência de uma imagem analítica das escolas como hiperburocracias.The central role of evaluation, institutional assessment and quality assurance processes of schools and universities in education policy is object of discussion also considering the reform of the state. New Public Management theories and managerialist perspectives are considered some of the main sources of inspiration and legitimation in the dominant context of an audit education. Preliminary empirical data from external assessment of Portuguese primary and secondary schools are introduced and interpreted according to the main concepts and organizational representations of school found in external reports. Examining some of the central organizational images and meanings of school, school culture, autonomy, goals, leadership and effectiveness included in the external reviews, the author stresses the importance of formal, rational and bureaucratic images of schools. Several new research questions are presented for further inquiry based on the hypothesis of what it is called by the author the process of hyperbureaucratization of educational organizations. Some of the main dimensions of the concept of bureaucracy as presented by Max Weber are revisited in close relation with neo-scientific approaches of quality assurance and taking in consideration the use of information and communication technologies. Accordingly the author suggests that much more importance must be given to formal and rational models of interpreting educational organizations because assessment and quality assurance procedures are contributing to the formalization of schools and universities and to the intensification of their process of rationalization, i. e., to the emergence of an analytic image of schools as hyperbureaucracies.(undefined

Nat Genet

The function of the majority of genes in the mouse and human genomes remains unknown. The mouse embryonic stem cell knockout resource provides a basis for the characterization of relationships between genes and phenotypes. The EUMODIC consortium developed and validated robust methodologies for the broad-based phenotyping of knockouts through a pipeline comprising 20 disease-oriented platforms. We developed new statistical methods for pipeline design and data analysis aimed at detecting reproducible phenotypes with high power. We acquired phenotype data from 449 mutant alleles, representing 320 unique genes, of which half had no previous functional annotation. We captured data from over 27,000 mice, finding that 83% of the mutant lines are phenodeviant, with 65% demonstrating pleiotropy. Surprisingly, we found significant differences in phenotype annotation according to zygosity. New phenotypes were uncovered for many genes with previously unknown function, providing a powerful basis for hypothesis generation and further investigation in diverse systems.Comment in : Genetic differential calculus. [Nat Genet. 2015] Comment in : Scaling up phenotyping studies. [Nat Biotechnol. 2015

Pour une éthique de l’agir évaluationnel

En évaluation, une éthique s’avère nécessaire. C’est à l’étude de la façon dont il est possible d’aborder les questions d’ordre éthique soulevées par l’agir évaluationnel que cet article se consacre, en tentant de caractériser la démarche éthique. Il distingue tout d’abord, dans les Principes […], trois niveaux d’analyse : des recommandations, des exigences, et des valeurs. Le travail éthique qui, dans ce texte, apparaît en filigrane, est alors envisagé d’abord sous l’angle d’une méthode, qui remonte des « espaces problématiques » aux fins de l’activité; puis dans le cadre de la question des « espaces de référenciation légitimes ».Ethics are necessary in assessment. By trying to characterize the ethical approach, this article is devoted to the study of how ethical issues raised by assessment practices can be addressed. At the beginning, three analysis levels are identified in the Principles [...]: recommendations, requirements and values. The ethical work that appears filigree in this text is first considered as a method that starts from "problem spaces" up to the activity purposes; it is then analyzed in the framework of the "legitimate referencing spaces"

Courrier des lecteurs

Hadji Charles. Courrier des lecteurs. In: Revue française de pédagogie, volume 72, 1985. pp. 135-139

Pour une évaluation humaniste

Ce texte tente de caractériser ce que l’on pourrait considérer comme un nouveau « modèle » d’évaluation en entendant par là un ensemble d’exigences, dont le respect donne un sens, et comme un visage reconnaissable, à la pratique évaluative. Dans un premier temps, on s’efforce de voir quel sens ont donné à cette expression les chercheurs et/ou les praticiens qui l’ont proposée. Puis, dans un deuxième temps, on montre comment les travaux du Symposium S.2.1 du 30ème colloque ADMEE-Europe, tenu au Luxembourg en janvier 2018, ont apporté un éclairage complémentaire, et bienvenu, sur cette notion, qui exprime l’idéal régulateur (au sens de Kant) d’une évaluation ayant le souci de se mettre au service de l’Homme. Nous pouvons alors, dans un troisième temps, décrire les quatre chantiers qui s’imposent à une évaluation à volonté humaniste.This text attempts to characterize what could be considered as a new "model" of evaluation, meaning a set of requirements whose respect gives meaning and a recognizable face to evaluative practice. As a first step, we try to see what meaning has given this expression to the researchers and/or practitioners who proposed it. Then, in a second step, we show how the work of Symposium S.2.1 of the 30th ADMEE-Europe symposium, held in Luxembourg in January 2018, provided a complementary, and welcome, light on this notion, which expresses the regulatory ideal (in the sense of Kant) of an evaluation having the concern to put oneself at the service of the Man. We can then, in a third step, describe the four projects that impose themselves on an evaluation at will humanist